Oklahoma TE Daniel Parker ‘Comfortable’ After First Game: ‘I Felt Like I Belonged’

After lacking the season opener, switch tight finish Daniel Parker made his Oklahoma debut final Saturday in opposition to the Kent State Golden Flashes.

Parker, a senior, spent his first 4 collegiate seasons at Missouri earlier than transferring to OU over to the offseason, with Saturday being his first style of a gameday in Norman.

“It was thrilling,” Parker stated after apply on Monday evening. “The Palace was packed. I received to do it with my brothers and the teaching employees that I like to play with, so it was enjoyable.

“I received to soak all of it up and take it in. It was a surreal second.”

Lacking the opener could be exhausting on any participant, however it was particularly so on Parker, who expressed many instances to the media, coaches and his teammates his anticipation to take the sphere for the primary time as a Sooner.

However, he made the a lot of the day away from the motion to take pleasure in watching his teammates get the 2022 marketing campaign off to a quick begin.

“It was exhausting,” Parker stated. “I needed to be on the market with my brothers. However watching it and simply observing it from a fan’s perspective was truly enjoyable as a result of I do know each single particular person on the sphere. It was only a enjoyable perspective.”

Regardless of being sidelined with what Brent Venables known as “the sniffles” in Week 1, Parker stepped proper into the fold in Week 2 and didn’t miss a beat.

As soon as the sport kicked off, it rapidly grew to become obvious to the Missouri native that Norman was the place for him.

“For me, I felt just like the group of fellows that I’ve practiced with within the spring have made me so comfy that as quickly as I stepped on the sphere, I felt like I belonged,” Parker stated. “I felt like I have been right here for years.”

A giant a part of that adjustment interval has been Parker’s shut relationship with fellow senior tight finish Brayden Willis.

Willis, an OU veteran and fan favourite, helped Parker acclimate to his new group rapidly over the course of the offseason and into fall camp.

“For me, I am model new right here and every thing is new to me,” Parker stated. “It is like ‘Observe Brayden Willis. Wherever he goes, I am going.’ Like I stated prior within the spring, he took me beneath his wing. Simply watching him evolve from even the place he was final yr and watching what he has completed to my sport, with the ability to convey it to a unique stage has simply been massive for me.”

Willis agreed, the chemistry between the 2 was quick.

“Oh, yeah, we clicked day one,” Willis stated about he and Parker. “It looks like I’ve recognized him since I used to be a child or one thing like that. In order that’s my man. And, you understand, it is bizarre not having J-Corridor (Jeremiah Corridor) within the room, being with him for thus lengthy. However I do not suppose we have actually missed a step with bringing in DP, you understand? Like I stated, that is my man. I take pleasure in having him the room and we’re gonna have a terrific little duel.”

The willingness for Parker, a school soccer veteran with a lot of expertise beneath his belt in his personal proper, to step into a brand new scenario and be the scholar has not been misplaced on Venables, who expressed how fortunate he feels OU is to have somebody like him on the group earlier this week.

“There’s various guys which have these roles, like he does,” Venables stated. “And I simply have this unbelievable appreciation for them. Very selfless. He’s received a grateful spirit to him. You’re articulating that proper now. And I really like that as a man that transferred in right here. Once more, considered one of your considerations or issues that you’ll be cautious of a man that is been a starter someplace that is available in was, what their expectation is. 

“Typically it is easy, for me I’ve received my guard up. I do not need guys coming in right here pondering that they are entitled to one thing. I do not need any entitlement anyplace on this program. And we’re gonna guard in opposition to complacency and entitlement. And we’re going to defend it to the nth diploma. And so that you do this with individuals. One of many enticing issues about him was his humility. His thankfulness.

“Now, he is a tricky man. Nice teammate. Very aggressive. And once more, it takes plenty of maturity for a man (Willis) that is similar to him, you understand, just about the identical age. And to look as much as his teammate he simply met a number of months in the past and now he is received to be his quote, unquote, backup. So I received a terrific thankfulness for DP and what he is dropped at the group. He’s been a pacesetter since he is been right here. And I assume he hadn’t been a pacesetter his entire profession, no matter which means. That is simply a few of his personal testimony. 

“And in order that’s cool, too, to listen to about transformation, which is what school needs to be all about. Discovering your method. Studying and rising by way of some powerful moments in your life and having a thankfulness is the place all of it begins. Simply having gratitude. And it is given him perspective. And now he is created this function and created this worth for himself in consequence, which I really like.”

Parker, who has touted himself as far more of a blocking tight finish than one who will look to get out and catch passes commonly, introduced his arrival in Norman with two key catches late within the first half that appeared to assist the OU offense get going after a rocky begin.

“I actually did not suppose an excessive amount of of it,” Parker stated. “I actually simply checked out it as I went on the market to do my job and get my job completed. I assume that type of received the ball rolling, however I wasn’t actually pondering of it in that method.”

No matter what he’s doing to assist, that’s all he desires to do: Assist the group win.

A category teammate and participant that each coach desires of, Parker is able to lay all of it out on the road each weekend in no matter function he’s given.

“I am right here to do one factor and one factor solely, and that is the job that Coach (Jeff) Lebby desires me to,” Parker stated.

“Whether or not that be him desirous to get me the ball extra or me getting concerned within the blocking schemes, no matter it’s, I am 10 toes and I am behind him.”